Facts:

The case involves the appellant, Vergilio Reyes, who was accused of raping the private complainant, Leticia. According to Leticia's testimony, she had a conversation with Vergilio about their past relationship, to which he told her to forget because he was already married. However, Leticia returned and expressed her inability to forget him. Vergilio then suggested that they have sex near his mother's house, where they engaged in sexual intercourse. They also planned to go to the town proper to watch a movie, but Vergilio was arrested before they could do so.

Issue:

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Ruling:

The court affirmed the trial court's decision finding Vergilio guilty of rape and sentenced him to reclusion perpetua. The court also modified the monetary awards, ordering Vergilio to pay the ...(Unlock)

Ratio:

The court applied three guiding principles in reviewing the evidence in rape cases: (1) an accusation for rape can be easily made but difficult to prove, (2) the complainant's testimony must be scrutinized with caution, and (3) the prosecution's evidence must stand on its own merits. In this case, the court found no reason to doubt the credibility of the private complainant's testimony, as it was supported by med...continue reading